Lights Go Out
by DreamingToThis
Summary: Two new agents, secrets, and a team adjusting to change...
1. Calm Before the Storm

Disclaimer: If you recognize 'em, they're not mine. /cries/ But it's alright; I'm dealing...

**Chapter 1- Calm Before the Storm**

_Pressure building_

_but life goes on_

_as normal as possible_

_before the tempestuous chaos,_

_the raging thunder_

_and stabbing lightning._

_But for now,_

_revel in the light serenity,_

_the calm before the storm._

Lakota skidded to a stop in an alleyway and smiled as Blade came to a rest next to her. They stood in silence for a while, gasping in great gulps of air to replace what they'd lost on their run. Their attempt at rehabilitation came to an abrupt end with the eruption of shouts from down the street.

Lakota's eyes widened, and she looked at Blade. "I thought we'd lost them." Blade simply shrugged and pulled the floppy brunette wig from his head, ruffling his spiky, bleach-blonde hair. Pulling her own wig off, Lakota finger-combed her dark, thigh-length hair. The two threw their used wigs in a conveniently nearby dumpster.

Just before leaving the alley, Blade slipped an arm around Lakota's shoulders. "We'll just have to play happy couple and try to blend in."

"Yes, and being the only two Americans around for miles will surely allow us to do just that quite nicely," Lakota quipped as she put her own arms around Blade's waist. "Of course, I don't think the baddies got a look at our faces anyway, so it shouldn't matter too much."

Blade used the arm already over her shoulders to give Lakota a quick, one-armed hug. He was just about to say something sickeningly sweet and sentimental when Lakota's expression changed from thoughtful to enthusiastic. "Look, Blade! Flowers!" She smiled up at him quickly before pulling herself away and dashing towards the little shop.

By the time Blade got to the shop himself, Lakota was already lost in the sea of girls packed into the relatively small space. He sighed and began scanning the crowd. Finally spotting her near the register studying an arrangement, Blade began pushing his way to her. Shortly after, Lakota glanced up and caught sight of him. "Blade!"

With Lakota's shout, every eye turned to look at him. Blade ducked his head and continued on his way toward her. "Lakota, what in the world were you thinking?" he hissed. "We've talked about you just running off on your own like that!"

Resentment flashed in Lakota's eyes as she took a step back. "So, what, I'm just little child now? I need you to hold my hand when I cross the street? While we're at it, maybe I shouldn't be allowed to play outside after dark either." Without giving Blade a chance to respond, Lakota spun on her heel and stalked to the other side of the room.

"Problems with the girlfriend? You should buy her some flowers while you're here. They always love that." Blade glared at the blonde guy- obviously one of the shop's florists- before pushing past him and stalking after Lakota. Unfortunately for him, where Lakota had passed through the crowd fairly easily, Blade just couldn't break through the mass of people.

Then, like a godsend from Heaven, the red-haired kid impatiently called out, "If you're not buying anything, leave!" The majority of the girls slowly, and with many whining protests, made their ways to the door. With the suffocating press of bodies mostly dissipated, Blade easily made his way over to Lakota's sulking form.

Before he could even open his mouth, Lakota started speaking. "I'm not a child, Blade. I'm seventeen, and I can take care of myself." She turned away from the flowers she was studying to face him. "You're the only family I have, and I love you with all my heart. You know that. But you can't keep sheltering me. I have to be allowed to grow up, Blade."

Blade sighed. "When you're right, you're right. I can't argue with that. I don't have to like it, though." Lakota gave him a quick smile before hugging him then turning back to the flowers she'd been looking at. "Well, Kota-girl, I'm thinking we need a bit of work on our 'happy couple' act."

Lakota crinkled her nose and looked over her shoulder at him. "Or, y'know, we could just never do that again. No offense, Blade, but me and you? A happy couple? That's just... icky. You're way too old, for one thing." She turned, once again, to the flowers in front of her. Blade, meanwhile, was looking indignant.

"Old? Excuse me? What do you mean by old?!" He followed as she walked slowly around the shop, observing every potted plant and colorful bloom. A small smile crept onto her lips as she tried valiantly not to laugh at Blade's whining. "Lakota! What are you smiling at?!"

"I'm thinking lilies, but the daisies are nice, too. And, of course, I always love baby's breath." Behind her, Blade huffed to show that wasn't what he was talking about. Lakota finally gave in and laughed out loud. "For me, Blade! You're too old for me! You're, like, 30, so that's like 13 years between us! And I don't care how you wanna look at it, that's just wrong."

Stopping mid-stride, Blade stared at Lakota's back and shook his head. "Kota-girl, that was just mean." Lakota smiled softly, and Blade realized that it was time to bring her back to reality. "Why are we in here, Lakota? You know we don't have any money," he reminded her quietly.

Her eyes widened, but she didn't look away from the flowers. "None? At all?"

Blade glanced at the prices. "Well, not enough. Not if we want to eat tonight."

Pulling her hands back from the flowers, Lakota sighed and stepped away. "I guess we'd better go check in with Genesis, then. He'll want to know what happened today, anyway." She walked to the door, took one last longing glance around, then left the little flower shop. Blade sighed and trailed after her.

_TBC_


	2. New Beginnings

**Chapter 2- New Beginnings**

_Stepping out_

_your front door,_

_every day_

_starts a new beginning._

_Never knowing_

_what life might bring,_

_you face your time_

_on this earth_

_with hopeful abandon_

_and an easy calm._

_New beginnings_

_all the time,_

_and you embrace_

_each one._

"We're what?" Blade exclaimed as Lakota blinked rapidly at Genesis. "What do you mean we're 'being integrated'?"

"It's a new program being set up by the agency. We're trying to put together fully functional, self-contained teams. We'd give the team a problem, and the team would take everything from that point on. You two and the group you'll be paired with are actually among the last still outside the program," Genesis stated.

Lakota looked at Blade then at Genesis, blinked again, shrugged, and said, "Alrighty then. So, who's our new team, and how and when do we meet them?" Blade gaped at Lakota's ability to take the news so calmly. She smirked at him.

Genesis discreetly rolled his eyes at the two and pushed a photo across the desk. "The group consists of four young men who live at and maintain this shop as a cover. As a side note, you will be living with them and helping with the shop. They close tonight at 6; you'll be expected at the back door at 6:15."

Picking up the photo, Lakota replied, "Just so you know, I find this arrangement distinctly... Hey, we were just at this place! You're telling me that a group of assassins actually front as florists?! And they agreed to that?!" She doubled over laughing at the thought.

Blade rolled his eyes. He was glad she could still be a child, but at the same time, she chose the most inappropriate moments. "Kota-girl, get it together Sweets." He waited as her laughter subsided into sporadic giggling. "Good, now, what were you going to say before that?"

Still grinning, Lakota thought back for a second. "Oh, yeah! I was gonna say that I think this a definitely unfair arrangement." Both men stared at her rather blankly. "Come on, guys, put it together! Five guys and one me living in a house together? Not very nice..."

Blade smirked. "Good, more eyes to keep a watch on you." Lakota pouted as Blade glanced at his watch. "We'd better get going if we want to make it there on time. Thanks for everything, Genesis." The two stood and walked out, Lakota turning to wave just outside the door.

-----

Lakota reached around her back and anxiously tugged at her hair as she waited for the door to open. As cool as she'd played it in Genesis's office, she didn't do well with new people. Especially not men. The door handle started to turn, and her breathing quickened right along with it. "Dammit Lakota, get a grip," she muttered.

Blade shot her a slightly worried glance, but the door opened wide before he could say anything. "Hi! You must be our two new members." At the sound of the voice, Blade turned back to the door to see a dark-blonde teen-aged boy standing there. "Come in, and we'll make introductions all at once."

Lakota looked up at Blade, shrugged, and followed the boy into the home. Tagging behind, Blade observed the area as he followed the other two into the basement. Three more guys were scattered throughout the room, two on a couch and one standing against the wall. Blade recognized all of them from earlier in the day.

The kid who'd greeted them at the door spoke again. "Well, I guess I can start. I'm Omi." He smiled brightly, and Lakota raised a single eyebrow as she vaguely wondered if he was like that _all_ the time. She didn't have long to ponder, thought, as the other guys introduced themselves: Ken, Yohji, and Aya.

Meanwhile, Blade was taking inventory. Aya was the impatient red-head, Yohji was the wannabe playboy, Omi was the baby of the group, and he'd yet to figure out Ken's niche. Beside him, Lakota was introducing them. "I'm Lakota, and this is Blade. And, well, I guess we're the new kids," she smiled.

Aya quirked an eyebrow, and Lakota blushed lightly. When he continued to staring, she shut down, folded in on herself, and tucked herself in by Blade's side. Blade slung an arm around her shoulders and warned Aya off with a glare. The other three guys watched on with some amusement.

Omi sensed Lakota's discomfort and tossed a soft smile at her, hoping to convey to her that Aya wasn't really that bad. She seemed to get the message and smiled back at him. The others seemed slightly taken aback by Lakota's sudden changes in demeanor, but Blade simply tapped her gently on the head.

She playfully glared up at him then turned back to the other guy"So, what's next?" They all stared at her blankly. She rolled her eyes, mumbling something about the only girl among silly, hopeless men. "Do you have anything we should know about the team? What kind of daily routine should we expect? Stuff like that..."

Ken was the first to recover from Lakota's abruptness. "Well, we post the month's work schedule for the shop in the kitchen. We haven't gotten you two on there yet, but we will. It usually doesn't change much from month to month."

Omi took over from there. "During the week, Ken, Aya, and Yohji take care of the shop while I'm at school. I'm guessing Blade will join them, and you'll come with me." Lakota blinked, and Blade smirked. Omi hesitated slightly. "You... have registered for school, right?"

Lakota fidgeted a bit. "I won't exactly be attending school. I kind of graduated, a while ago actually." She blushed bright red and again shifted her weight.

Omi blanched at the younger girl's information. "_How_ long ago, exactly?"

She blushed even brighter, if that were possible. Blade laughed at her. Lakota looked up at him, silently appealing for help. He ignored the look. She turned back to Omi. "I guess it's been three, almost three and a half years."

Omi cringed and hung his head. "I... can't compete with that."

Lakota's breath hitched, and her eyes went wide. She hadn't meant to make him feel bad! She couldn't help her reaction; she panicked. "I'm sorry! But, well, if it makes you feel any better, it wasn't my fault. I mean, I didn't actually have much choice in the matter."

That statement received even more attention than her previous revelation. "That makes no sense. How could you not have had any choice?" Yohji asked, trying to understand the distinctly uncomfortable look on Lakota's face. Aya's eyes narrowed as he wondered the same thing.

Lakota noticed their looks and immediately closed off. "It's nothing. Forget I even said anything, okay?" Yohji opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "No, this is _not_ up for debate. Just, don't worry about it; it doesn't concern you."

The conversation died rather quickly after that. After a time of mostly tense silence, Omi showed Blade and Lakota to their rooms so the two could settle in. Once Lakota was alone, she collapsed onto her bed and covered her face with her pillow.

"Lakota, sometimes you're so stupid you amaze me," she chided herself. Her little slip of the tongue would bring questions that she wouldn't want to answer. With that thought twisting and turning around in her head, Lakota fell asleep.

-----

Lakota shot up in bed, panting and sweating. She took a few moments to recognize and reacquaint herself with her surroundings. After that, however, she bolted out of her bed and down the hall to Blade's room. She pushed the door open quietly and slipped across the room into Blade's bed. Blade sleepily shifted over to accommodate her and murmured, "Nightmare?"

Lakota simply nodded and snuggled into the bed, pulling the blankets up to her chin. "He's after me again, I know it. And this time, he'll find me. I can't run away anymore, Blade. I have to face him. This can't keep happening," she whispered. She shuddered, and Blade pulled her close.

As the warmth of the bed and Blade's protective embrace seeped into her, Lakota slowly clamed and drifted into a tentative sleep. Blade sighed, kissed her forehead gently, and drifted back into his own dreams.

In the hall outside the door, Aya leaned against the wall and narrowed his eyes. The newcomers were keeping secrets, and he didn't like it. He stood in the hall for a while longer then made his way back to his own room to think about the situation.

She'd seemed like a nice enough girl, for the short time the new group got to talk. Though not nearly as much as Omi, she seemed to let off a gentle kind of cheerfulness. So why had she sounded so scared? And who was this "he" that she was so afraid of? Someone coming for her could be dangerous for the whole team, so Aya figured he deserved at least a little information. With the resolution to confront Lakota the next day, Aya let himself drift off to sleep.

-----

The whole house (minus dead-to-the-world Yohji) woke early the next morning, and Lakota slipped quietly back to her own room. After going through her morning ritual and changing from her pajamas, Lakota made her way to the kitchen for breakfast.

She caught the apple mere inches from her face and glared around it at Blade. "What?" he asked innocently as he smirked. "I gotta keep you on your toes, Kota-girl." When he turned back to the counter, she chucked the fruit back at him, bouncing it off his head. "Ow! Hey!" She let out her own smirk and sat down at the table.

Aya quirked an eyebrow at her as Ken watched her carefully. "You're... not much of a morning person, are you?" Omi turned away from the stove and the breakfast he was making at the question. Any and all information they could get on their new teammates could prove useful.

"It has nothing to do with not being a morning person and everything to do with how much I _hate_ it when he does that. And he damn well knows it!" With his back still to the group, Blade chuckled. Lakota pulled off one of her slippers and threw that at him, too. It connected with his mid-back.

Blade whirled around to face her as Lakota glared. "Would you quite throwing things at me?! I mean, seriously, what is your major obsession with that?!"

"Well maybe if you would stop _teasing_ me and _laughing_ at me, I wouldn't _have_ to throw things at you!" she retorted.

"Oh, so it's my fault I've suddenly become projectiles target?"

"Exactly! So glad you caught on..."

The two continued arguing as Omi inched his way towards Ken and Aya. "You know," he muttered to them, "yesterday I thought they were a couple or something, but today they seem more like siblings. I'm just not sure what to make of them." The other two silently agreed.

The heat of the argument continued to escalate, and Lakota's and Blade's voices rose with it until it was very nearly an all-out shouting match. A few moments later, Yohji stumbled sleepily into the kitchen. "What in the world is going on in here?" he yawned.

The yelling stopped abruptly as Blade and Lakota turned to look at him. Blade had the good grace to look at least slightly ashamed, and Lakota blushed dark pink. "I guess we got a bit... carried away. I'm sorry we woke you," she replied, her gaze fixed on the floor.

Yohji blinked at the suddenly quiet girl then shrugged. "Don't worry about it; I probably needed to get up anyway." He glanced at the calendar. "See, just as I suspected. I'm supposed to help open today, so you actually did me a favor."

Ken started to protest that Yohji never had a problem with being late any other time, but the blonde silenced him with a look. Lakota, missing the interaction, raised her eyes and smiled gratefully. Blade, however, filed away the moment for later inspection.

_TBC_

A.N.- Yep, that's it for now. I do have two more chapters done as of right now, so I'll probably take my time posting those over the next few days. This is my first Weiss fic (thought not my first fanfic by far), and I'm always hesitant when breaking into new fandoms. Having said that: be kind and review, please!! /gets down on hands and knees and begs/


	3. Answers Forming Questions

**Chapter 3-Answers Forming Question**

_Contemplating answers_

_that give rise_

_to more questions._

_How will you ever _

_reach the end_

_when every path_

_leads back_

_to the beginning?_

Three weeks later, Blade and Lakota started on their part of the new team's first mission. While they were gone, Weiss gathered to discuss the team's recent additions. "Omi?"

The young blonde began going over the information he'd gathered. "I didn't find a lot. Kritiker, of course, had anything anywhere concerning them removed once they became agents, but I did manage a little. So, who do you want first?"

They all agreed on Blade, and Omi started. "Real name: Riley Blade Walker, age: 29, birth date: April 17. He lived in the same house all his life with his mother, father, and two younger sisters. The family- excluding Blade- was involved in a car accident when Blade was eighteen. Father, mother, and middle sister were killed instantly; the youngest sister survived the wreck but died from complications three weeks later. He joined the agency with Lakota about a year and a half ago."

Aya, Ken, and Yohji took a moment to assimilate and process the new information. It wasn't a lot, but it was more than they'd had. "There's nothing about the years between the crash and joining the agency?" Aya asked. Omi shook his head, and Aya waved him on to Lakota.

"Okay. Real name: Lakota Morgan Bennet, age: 17, birth date: November 5. She's an only child. Her mom was diagnosed with brain cancer when Lakota was seven and died two and a half months later. Her dad packed them up and moved them to a, well, less respectable part of town.

"This is where it gets a bit fuzzy. Between that time and shortly after her fifteenth birthday, there is absolutely nothing to indicate she even existed. At all. Even Kritiker, from what I could tell, turned up nothing. Neighbors didn't even know there was a little girl living in the house.

"The February after Lakota's fifteenth birthday, her father's parental rights were terminated and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Blade received full legal guardianship, and the two joined the agency that September."

Aya, Ken, and Yohji looked just as troubled as Omi felt at all the unanswered questions about Lakota's life; seventeen years just shouldn't have that many holes in it. "No idea why parental rights were terminated or what the warrant was for?" Yohji questioned.

Omi shook his head. "Nothing. Though we do know that Lakota was admitted to the hospital around the same time and stayed six weeks. Nothing about why she was there, but the incidents are too close together to be completely unrelated."

"So we're most likely looking at... what? Some kind of child abuse?" Ken asked.

Yohji flopped back in his chair. "Well, that would make sense, wouldn't it? And it's pretty obvious that she's still getting over the effects. I know you three have noticed as well as I have how careful you have to be around her. Sometimes it's like dealing with a child a lot younger. And Blade being so over-protective of her? It all fits..."

"What about her father? Did they ever arrest him?" Aya had a feeling he already knew the answer. The facts clicked into place, and he realized suddenly who she'd been speaking of with so much fear three weeks ago. Aya barely acknowledged Omi's negative response to his questions.

Footsteps sounded above them, signaling Lakota and Blade's return. "Not a single word of this," Aya hissed out. "They don't need to know we have any of this information." The other three nodded their agreement as Lakota and Blade walked down the stairs.

Lakota was pulling off her curly blonde wig as she entered the mission room. "Hey all, what's up?" Not waiting for an answer, she sat down on the couch and pulled off the glasses she'd worn for the mission. "We got some great stuff; I just need a darkroom to develop these pictures."

Omi pointed to a door in the back of the room. It led to a previously unused storage room that had been converted into a darkroom when Weiss had first found out Lakota and Blade would be joining them. Lakota grinned, anxious to get started. "Excellent."

Knowing what they now did, the four guys found themselves to be rather amazed at Lakota's behavior. How she could act so... normal while hiding all of that was beyond them. Though Omi figured that was due in large part to Blade's help.

"It waits 'til tomorrow, Kota," Blade commanded. "It's late enough without you spending another two or three hours in a darkroom." Lakota pouted good-naturedly at Blade's admonishments but didn't argue.

Aya cleared his throat, subtly interrupting their exchange. When he had their attention, he re-directed the conversation back to the subject. "What happened with the target?"

Blade smirked. "Oh, he's guilty beyond _any_ shadow of a doubt. Lakota kept his security distracted, and I managed to sneak away and catch him red-handed. We didn't stick around much longer after that, just to cut down on the risk."

"So all we need to do is get these pictures developed and turned into Kritiker, and you four will be good to go on your part." Lakota glanced longingly at the door to the darkroom.

"Absolutely not, Lakota. It's not gonna happen." She looked back at Blade, pouting out her lower lip. He shook his head. She then turned on her secret weapon: large, pleading, puppy-dog eyes. Blade sighed. "Sorry, Sweets, but it won't work tonight."

Lakota sighed and shrugged. "Fine, fine. Just had to give it one more try, y'know?" She stood up and looked at the other four guys in the room. "Well, it's been great checkin' in with you, but I'm going to go crash now. I promise I'll get those pictures done first thing in the morning, though." Flashing a quick grin, she headed up the stairs.

-----

Screams shot out into the dark, tearing apart the late-night silence. Blade immediately jumped out of bed, suddenly wide awake, and took off towards Lakota's room. Aya was already outside her door with his sword drawn. "You might as well put that away. You're not going to need it," Blade said calmly.

Aya stared at Blade for a moment then sheathed his katana. Another scream sounded from the room, and the other three guys suddenly joined Blade and Aya. Blade looked at the four of them and sighed. "She wouldn't want you to see this, but I get the feeling you won't leave until you do. And I might need you here if things get ugly." He opened the door.

Lakota was sitting up in bed, her eyes wide open and staring blankly. Tears poured down her cheeks, and her chest heaved as if she were struggling to catch her breath. She whimpered slightly then opened her mouth and screamed again while clutching her stomach.

Blade approached the bed slowly, carefully. His eyes stayed fixed on Lakota, but he spoke to the other four. "The doctor called them night terrors. Despite how it looks, she's still sleeping." He sat down on the bed and attempted to pull her hands into his own.

The screams almost immediately changed from hysterically frightened to nearly enraged. Lakota's arms flailed and her legs kicked, attempting to dislodge an imagined attacker. Blade jumped up and moved to sit behind the struggling girl. Putting his arms around her and pinning her arms to her sides, he looked at the four guys standing frozen in the doorway.

As Blade held her, Lakota slowly calmed. A little while later, she was resting once again peacefully in Blade's arms. He gently laid her back down and ushered the other four out of the room. They gathered in the living room, practically demanding an explanation. Blade collapsed into a chair.

"I can't tell you what her dreams about; that's her story to tell. I can tell you that her night terrors are events that she has actually lived through, which is one major difference from most night terrors. Most people who suffer from these usually don't remember what they dream about, or--when they do--it's not something they're actually afraid of. Lakota's different.

"I usually, like tonight, just try to get her to relax and go back to sleep. Other times, I have no choice but to wake her." Blade raised his head, looking exceedingly tired, though not necessarily from lack of sleep. "Since she didn't wake up, she won't know you four were there. She might not even know it happened at all. Please don't say anything to her about it."

All four Weiss were shocked, but Omi was the most obviously wide-eyed. "You're not going to tell her it happened? Don't you think that's something she should know?"

Blade sighed and rested his head against the back of his chair. "I didn't say I wouldn't tell her. I will. I always have. It's just a delicate topic for her, and she wouldn't want any of you knowing. So just don't mention it, don't ask her about it." Aya frowned.

-----

Lakota smiled and handed the woman her change then watched her walk out the door. Business had been relatively slow, most likely due to the absence of all the guys, and the store was now empty completely. Relaxing onto the stool behind the counter, Lakota frowned. She'd been feeling a bit off all day, so she just knew something had happened the night before.

"Lakota?"

She blinked and snapped back to attention. "Oh, hey, Omi. You out of class already?"

"Yeah, we had a short day, so I'm home early today." He studied her closely. "Are you okay, though? You looked kind of out of it when I came in."

Lakota smiled softly, knowing genuine concern fueled the inquiry. "I'm fine," she replied. He didn't look convinced. "Seriously, Omi. I'm okay. Just a bit tired. I feel like I hardly slept, but I don't remember waking up at all. Do you know if anything happened last night?"

Omi blinked then paled, confirming Lakota's suspicions. "I had a terror last night, didn't I?" she said, her voice completely empty. "I'm sure I woke you all up, and Blade took care of it then told you four not to talk about it." She sighed.

"He said he would talk to you about it, and we didn't want to interfere," he explained, mistaking the sound for anger rather than the resignation it actually was. "He won't be... upset about this, will he? I mean, the fact that I talked to you about it?"

Lakota rolled her eyes and waved off his concerns. "Hey, they're my bad dreams, right? I can talk to whoever I damn well please about them. And don't worry, Blade and I will talk; he wasn't lying about that." She smiled. "Thanks, though, for... worrying about me, I guess. It's a nice change to have someone other than Blade actually care."

Omi smiled at her but soon replaced the smile with another serious expression. "If you don't mind me asking, and you don't have to answer if you don't want, but what are your night terrors about?" Haunted shadows filled Lakota's eyes, and he immediately wanted to take back the question. "You know what? Forget I said anything. I just let my curiosity get away from me, and it was rude of me to ask."

Lakota smiled, a cynical twist of the lips to match the darkness in her eyes. "No, it's alright. You have every right to be curious, and the whole team should actually probably know, just in case..." She trailed off, unsure of how she wanted to finish the statement. "Anyway, generally, I dream about my father, and just... things that happened. Bad things."

Omi was sorry he'd asked but almost sorrier that he'd gotten an answer. With what Weiss had deduced about Lakota's relationship with her father, he now had a fairly good idea what she dreamed about. He opened his mouth to say... something, anything, but Lakota shook herself and beat him to it. "But, quick change of subject, I got those pictures developed and sent in, so you guys are good to go."

"Great, thank you so much, Lakota." He grinned at her but didn't fully buy into the suddenly cheerful mask she now wore. And that perfectly constructed mask made Omi wonder just how much of Lakota was real and how much was acting.

_TBC_


	4. Ties and Bonds

**Chapter 4- Ties and Bonds**

_Tentatively_

_reaching out_

_and letting people in_

_was never_

_your strong suit._

_You kept yourself distanced;_

_when the time comes_

_to open yourself,_

_you're not quite sure_

_how to act._

_One step at a time_

_you begin to form_

_ties and bonds_

_to the stability_

_of those around you._

That first mission went off without a hitch, and every one after that was basically the same way. The new team eventually fell into an established routine as they got to know one another better. Through a series of trials and errors, Omi came to accompany Blade and Lakota more often then the other Weiss boys.

"Avalon, get a move on. I've got some issues coming up down here."

Lakota winced at the static coming through the line and glanced at Omi, who was cringing right along with her. "We gotta get these things fixed," she muttered to him. After catching his silent agreement, she replied to Blade. "Check, Camelot. Download is..." she paused, "now complete. We're getting out of here; meet you at the checkpoint."

Omi pulled the disk as Lakota wiped all traces of their presence from the computer. The two then hurried from the room and attempted to remember which way in the huge house they had to go to find the exit. They were about to turn down another hall when voices around the corner stopped them. Omi turned around to find another way, but Lakota froze in place and listened intently.

When the voices started heading their direction a few moments later, Lakota turned to push Omi down the hall. Omi rounded the next corner just in time to hear shouts break out. He could see Lakota still in the other hall, but she was again frozen in place. His slight movement to move back into the hall with her met an almost indiscernible shake of her head.

"Lakota!" The man, whoever he was, sounded particularly happy to see her. Lakota, on the other hand, was visibly shaken at the thought of associating with him. "Where in the world have you been these last three years? And what, exactly, are you doing here?"

Lakota closer her eyes to gather her strength and turned to face the body behind the voice. Omi could see how much sheer will this was taking her; he wished he could be out there supporting her, but he held his place, trusting her to handle the situation. "I heard some... things, and I just had to know for sure. You're really here, aren't you?"

The man sighed. "Lakota. My little girl. I should have known you'd be here, in this country. Your mother loved it here, too. She always dreamed that she'd bring you here someday, but it just wasn't meant to be. You know you look more like her every day."

Lakota shuddered but smiled at the same time. "It's been... a long journey to get me to this point. I just knew I had to come back to Mama's land, though. And then I heard the rumors and had to know if you were really here, too." She looked down at the floor then back up to her father. "I have to go now. Maybe I'll see you around or something." With those words, she turned the corner, grabbed Omi, and sprinted away.

When the two finally found their way outside once again and were on their way to the checkpoint, Omi broached the subject of the conversation he'd just witnessed. "Lakota? You didn't actually know he was there, did you?"

Lakota smirked bitterly and shook her head. "No, definitely not. That was really quite unexpected. But I couldn't exactly tell him why I was really there, and I didn't want you getting involved. Omi..." She paused, carefully considering her next words. "Don't tell Blade we saw my father tonight, that I talked to him. Don't even tell him my father's in Japan. Blade tends to get overprotective enough without that little fact thrown in."

Omi opened his mouth to protest then simply shook his head and sighed. "Okay. I don't like it, but it's up to you, I guess." He paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. "But, Lakota, if something happens--anything at all--I want to know about it. I'm not saying it'll automatically go straight to Blade or anything; I just want to know. Deal?"

Lakota agreed reluctantly, knowing that if she didn't, Omi would probably tell Blade exactly what had happened that night. And even if she didn't acknowledge the fact right then and there, it actually felt kind of nice to know that she had someone to talk to if things got rough.

The rest of the walk to the checkpoint was relatively silent. Omi dwelled on thoughts of Lakota's father, reasoning out the different impacts his appearance could have on their lives and the team. Lakota, on the other hand, attempted damage-control on her frazzled mind.

So wrapped up in their respective thoughts, neither noticed a slightly frantic Blade pacing in front of the door of the safe-house. He caught sight of them and relaxed before slipping into worried anger. "Where in the world have you two been?" Both teens snapped to attention, looking at the man before them. "I've been waiting here for nearly an hour, so I'd appreciate an explanation!"

Omi and Lakota shared a look then turned back to Blade. "Sorry, Blade. We just got a bit turned around in that place, so it took forever to find our way out. Then it took just as long to walk all the way here." Blade stared at her for a few long moments, turned to stare at Omi to confirm the story, and finally turned back to Lakota.

Satisfied that they were telling the truth, he pulled Lakota into a thank-God-you're-okay hug. A second later, as a bit of an afterthought, he also pulled Omi in. "Don't you ever, ever do that to me ever again, you hear me? And when we get back, we are definitely investing in longer-range radios."

Blade finally released them and composed himself while Lakota attempted to hide her smile at Omi's shell-shocked face. Obviously, he hadn't been anticipated the inclusion in Blade's impromptu group-hug. She gave his hand a light squeeze then turned to Blade. "We got everything we needed off the computer, but we didn't get any photographic evidence. The stuff from the comp should be enough, but I think we should head back, turn it in, and wait for the okay from Kritiker just in case they want more."

Omi blinked at that. He still wasn't completely used to this side of things. "Why would they need photos along with everything else? We got some great stuff off that system that points right at the targets. It has to be enough." Not only that, but he was very nearly desperate to now keep Lakota away from that place.

Lakota shrugged in response to his questions, not realizing his deeper motivation. "It all depends. Sometimes the agency is fine with just the figurative paper trail. Other times, they want the visual corroboration to go along with it. So we'll just send them what we've got and hope we get the okay so we don't have to come back again later."

Blade watched as Omi seemed to accept that response then watched the two discreetly for another few moments. It was amazing how quickly the teens had settled into an easy familiarity, how naturally they acted with each other. "Alright, kids," both glowered, "let's bust this joint. The mission, at least for tonight, is officially over."

-----

Lakota sat on the overstuffed couch in the mission room later that night, staring at the blank TV screen without managing to actually see it. Everyone else in the house was asleep, but Lakota just couldn't face the thought of going to bed, sleeping, dreaming.

She felt a night terror tugging at the edges of her consciousness. She hadn't had them this close together in just over a year, and she had a pretty good idea of why it was happening now all of a sudden. She and Blade had never set up a real home for themselves; the "home" she'd had before that was actually more of a living nightmare than anything. Thinking about trying to make this, the Koneko, a "home" made Lakota's stomach churn and her head pound.

On top of that, Lakota had just happened to run into her father. The man who had given her all her issues and one seriously screwed-up psyche, the man who made the word "home" synonymous with "hell". Had he actually been surprised that she was in Japan, or was it all an act? Had he really been hunting her the whole time?

The two factors were, to say the least, not doing good things for Lakota's chances of sleep. Which is why she was now wide awake at three a.m. on a now-Thursday morning. She'd laid in bed until she heard all of the others head to their own rooms, waiting until all was silent. Then she'd come downstairs and had been staring at the blank screen and/or wall since then.

The soft footfalls on the stairs jolted her out of her musings. Lakota whirled around just as Aya took the last steps into the room. Their eyes met, and Lakota sank back into the couch. Of all the guys, Aya made her the most nervous. Even after nearly a month in the same house, he could still have her cowering and intimidated with just a look. She was not looking forward to this confrontation.

"Lakota?" While lost in her thoughts, Lakota missed him moving to stand directly in front of her. She jumped and looked up at him, trying to reason out the look on his face.

"Oh, hey Aya. You having a crap time sleeping, too?" Aya quirked his eyebrow, and Lakota immediately clicked her mouth shut. She blinked up at him a few times before deciding to forget whatever usually held her back and go for it. "You know what? I'm just going to cut the act and ask straight up, because this has been bugging me since we got here: What kind of issues do you have with me?"

Aya stared at her for a long moment before sitting down on the couch next to her. Lakota held her breath, hoping for and dreading his answer. "I don't have any issues, as you say, with you. I'm just trying to protect my team from whatever secrets you're hiding from us."

Lakota's breath caught in her throat as she fought back tears. She'd known it was her fault, whatever was making Aya dislike her, but she hadn't been prepared for that. "I'm... I'm sorry. I know I'm always screwing things up and dragging everyone else down with me. I don't mean to. It's just seems like that's what I was born to do, what _he_ bred me for. I'm just... sorry."

Staring down at her entwined hands, Lakota waited for Aya's response. "Well, that's... better than nothing, I suppose." Lakota's head snapped up to stare at him. He definitely wasn't smiling, but the look on his face told her that the expression was hiding just beneath the surface. She offered up her own shy smile, and the two shared the rest of the early morning in silence.

_TBC_


	5. Lessons Learned

_A.N.- IMPORTANT! Okay, so I'm really **really** discouraged by the lack of response to this story. So I've made a decision. The whole reason a person posts a story is to get feedback, right? To know how other people besides themselves feel about the story? Well, I'm not getting that. So I've decided that, after I post this story and it's been up for a bit, if I haven't gotten at least one review (really, is that so much to ask?), I'm pulling it. There's no way for me to completely stop writing it at this point, since it's kind of gotten a strangle-hold on my muse, but I'll just share it with my RL friends who actually give me something to work off. So, yeah, if anyone is actually reading this story, please please please leave a review! Even if it's just a little one-liner saying how much you hate it! Thanks..._

**Chapter 5- Lessons Learned**

_The interruption_

_of daily life_

_forces a person to_

_attempt to remember_

_how life was before._

_Nothing can be changed_

_if nothing was learned._

_Remember your story_

_and own your life _

_by never letting_

_the past own you._

As the weeks passed, Lakota began to distance herself more and more from the comfortable life she had started to settle into. Her normally cheerful nature faded into a sort of quiet pensiveness. The open, smiling face from before melted into dark circles under her eyes and a nearly constant thoughtful frown. Lakota's mask was crumbling around her.

Omi watched the slow deterioration and began to reason out the different options available to him. The girl he'd come to care about as a dear friend and-could he say it-almost sister was fading slowly into her own darkness. He knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if she became lost completely simply because he'd refused to act on the knowledge only he had.

He also hadn't failed to notice Aya's lingering glances at the girl, worry tingeing his gaze. Omi didn't know when those two had managed to set aside the distance between them, but he did know that now Lakota was on the short list of people the red-head would kill to protect. That information had led him to pull Aya aside, insist on speaking to him privately.

Aya stared at Omi intently, waiting for him to speak. "Aya-kun, I... Do you remember the mission from a few weeks ago with the huge house out in the country?" A sharp nod prompted Omi to continue. "Well, something happened while Lakota and I were in the house, something that I left out of the mission report because I promised her I wouldn't tell. But I think that's what's affecting her now."

"Omi..."

The boy blushed and lowered his head, just the way Aya said his name being enough of a reprimand. "I know it was wrong now, but it really didn't seem like such a big issue at the time. She certainly hadn't seemed so affected by it. So I told her I would keep it quiet unless something else happened, and now I think that that something else has."

Aya stared at Omi, thinking about his response. The blonde usually had such good judgment that Aya couldn't fault him completely for wanting to keep that promise to Lakota and in the process making such a wrong choice. "Omi, what exactly happened on the mission, and what else do you think has happened now?"

Omi looked back up, his big blue eyes wavering slightly. "We were on our way out to meet Blade at the checkpoint, but we got a bit turned around in all the halls. I turned one corner just before she did, and she froze when a group of people entered the same hall she was in. At first I wasn't sure why she wasn't moving; I made a move to go out into the hall with her, but she just shook her head to say I should stay where I was. One of the voices in the group started speaking to her, like he knew her." Omi paused to draw a breath. "Aya, it was her father."

"Her father?" Omi nodded. "The father that we all agreed had most likely abused her for at the very least eight years of her life?" Another nod, slightly wilted. "And you didn't put this in the mission report or at least tell one of us? You waited until now to mention it?"

Omi pulled his knees to his chest as shame filled his eyes, and he flinched under Aya's unwavering gaze. "After we got out of the house, I made her promise to tell me if anything else happened so I could help her with it. I know that sounds stupid now, looking back on it, but I knew that if she couldn't trust me then no one would know if anything else ever happened. So I promised I wouldn't mention it."

Sighing, Aya sat back against the couch and thought about the situation. They couldn't exactly confront Lakota with the information; she'd probably feel cornered and threatened so there'd be no way to get any more out of her. Aya glanced at Omi, who was looking more and more despondent as the long silence dragged out. "Omi, don't worry, okay? We'll figure something out."

Lifting his head off his raised knees, Omi looked up at Aya. "Really?" After a nod from the stoic man, Omi smiled with a combination of relief and hope. Before he could think twice about it, he'd thrown his arms around Aya's neck and was hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Aya-kun," he whispered softly before pulling away, standing up, and walking away toward his bedroom.

-

Waiting for the newest mission, Lakota couldn't shake the feeling that something big was coming. She stared straight ahead at the TV screen, not wanting to meet anyone else's eyes. She didn't want them to know the secret well of panic that she was trying desperately to fight down.

The face appeared on the screen, and Lakota's eyes widened. "Alright" Manx said as the lights came back on"who's in" Lakota sat quietly as the rest of the team agreed to the mission then turned to her, waiting for her answer.

"I... No. I'm out. I won't do this one." Blade turned to her in shock, and Aya's eyes narrowed. Everyone in the room stared at her, utterly surprised. Lakota had never turned down a mission before. "I'm sorry, really, but I just can't. Not this one." She stood and rushed from the room.

Everyone then looked at Blade, who simply shrugged. Then, a troubled look crossed his face. "Unless..." He stared at the screen for a moment then flipped open his folder and glanced at the info there. "Well, shit, that explains it." He looked back up at everyone else. "The target is Lakota's father."

-

Lakota fell onto her bed and covered her head with her pillow, hoping to block the images running through her mind. It was too soon, far too soon. She absolutely could not see him again. She wasn't ready for that yet. "Damn it all to hell" she muttered into her mattress.

The knock on her door made Lakota pull the pillow away. The second knock a few moments later turned her head so she could glare at the sound, thankful she'd locked the door. "Lakota" She growled softly and turned her back to the voice. "Come on, Kota. We have to talk."

Lakota rolled her eyes. "Go _away_, Blade. I don't _want_ to talk." Sighing, she shifted to lay on her back and stare at the ceiling. There would be questions, especially from the other four, but she wasn't ready to face that yet.

Just as Lakota relaxed and let her eyes start to drift closed, another knock sounded on her door. She growled more audibly, stomped to the door, and threw it open. "I told you, Blade, I- Oh, Omi. Sorry. I thought Blade was still bugging me." She smiled sheepishly.

Omi smiled back, hoping to soothe the blatantly edgy girl. "I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. Blade told us why you refused the mission, who the target is to you." Lakota sighed and ushered him into the room before closing and locking the door again.

"I'm sure by now you've all figured out what my father did. Hell, you probably put it all together a long time ago; you all were just nice enough not to say anything." Omi blushed, and Lakota smirked. "What you most likely don't know is just how bad it actually was." Her eyes darkened with the haunting memories. "He's a monster, Omi, and I'd rather die than go back to him."

Omi blinked, not quite expecting the solemn vehemence behind her words. "Lakota..." He trailed off, unable to find the right words to respond to her. She looked up at him, quickly brushing away the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"Well, just look at me blubbering away like this. It's really not that big of a deal, is it" She turned a wavering smile to Omi, attempting to push through the horror-story scenarios running through her head. "At least you know, right? You all can see why I just... can't, Omi. I can't take this mission. As much of a monster as he is, he's still my father. And I can't guarantee I'd really be completely functional should we happen to have to confront him again."

Lakota flopped back onto her bed, and Omi sat down gently next to her. "God, this sucks. Why is he so bloody obsessed with me, of all people" She shook her head, catching herself in the renewed whining. Sitting up suddenly on the bed, she looked at Omi. "I think it's time. Gather everyone else in the mission room. You all need to hear a story."


	6. Secrets Revealed

A.N.- Thankyouthankyouthankyou to my reviewers! ShadowLeopard and C.re.ax, you both totally rock. /huggles reviewers/ As for You Know Who I Am (/cough/Tia/cough/): lemme alone. /sticks tongue out/ Anywayz, here's chappie 6, where you finally get the whole of Lakota's horrible, horrible story. I hate myself for writing it... /sobs and glomps Kota-chan/ Read on, and please keep the reviews coming!

**Chapter 6- Secrets Revealed**

_Hold your secrets_

_so close to yourself,_

_and hurt the ones you love._

_Tell them_

_/how the truth hurts/_

_and let them know_

_you're no longer_

_whole._

_Life betrayed you._

_You never cared_

_for anything_

_the way_

_normal people could._

_Some secrets are_

_never meant_

_to be revealed._

Lakota sighed, looking at the faces before her. Four held curious, almost slightly anxious expressions; Blade's was carefully concerned yet supportive. She drew a deep breath and began. "I'm sure you all know by now that wewell, mostly Ihave been keeping secrets. I wasn't planning on telling any of this unless it somehow affected the team or missions, so I guess now's that time."

Omi started to speak, but Lakota held up a hand to silence him. "Please, don't. I don't think I could get through this if someone interrupts or anything."

"Lakota, you don't have to do this if"

"Yes, I do, Blade, that's the whole point! If someone got hurt because I was too scared to talk about it..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "Just let me get through this, if only for my own peace of mind."

After receiving nodded agreements from all in the room, Lakota started. "For the first few years of my life, we were the perfect happy family. Y'know, those families that you see on TV and stuff that nobody actually thinks exist? That was us. And then, my mom got sick. She faded fast, died within just a few months of the diagnosis. Nothing was the same after that.

"My father changed, became cold and demanding, almost as if his whole heart and soul was buried along with Mama, and there was nothing left for me. Then, one day, he flipped completely, decided to devote all his time to me. We moved to a different neighborhood where no one knew us,well, him reallyand I was suddenly subject to all kinds of rules.

"I wasn't allowed out of the house. Ever. I wasn't allowed to look out of or even be near the windows. When I wasn't doing all the cooking and cleaning around the house, I was forced to do school work. He pushed it on me constantly, to make sure I advanced well ahead of schedule. That's how I received my high school diploma just a few months before my fifteenth birthday.

"Anything that wasn't done exactly the way he wanted was reason enough to ridicule and yell. After a while, I just got used to the name calling and everything, accepted it as just a normal part of my life. I even started to believe a lot of it..." She smirked bitterly, a sardonic twist of the lips none of the Weiss boys had previously believed her capable of producing.

"I was about ten the first time he hit me. I guess he'd finally realized that the words weren't hurting as much, so he found another way. The single, isolated hits turned quite rapidly into full-out beatings. As time passed, though, even the beatings stopped hurting as much.

"I've always been a fairly tactile person, reveling in sights and sounds and smells. He had a room in the basement, sound-proofed, dark. Really small. When I was 13, he figured out that the worst punishment for me was to be locked in that room. Nothing got through those walls, nothing to hear or see or smell. I took to hurting myself just to be sure I was still alive in there."

* * *

_The door clicked shut behind her, and the sound of the lock turning made her heart skip a beat. The longer Lakota stood there, praying for a light or sound or anything really, the more she wondered if anything actually existed outside the room. No matter how many times she was locked in The Cage, she always suffered that same delusion: she'd died, and this was her eternal punishment. This nothingness... "Please..." she begged the silence. "Please let me out."_

_When the nothing only got thicker, she threw herself at where she believed the door to be. The slam of her hands against the wall, the pain of forming bruises with the force of her hits, and the trickle of blood as she gouged scratches into her arms and legs let her know she was, at the very least, still alive._

* * *

"I put up with that for a little over a year and then just... snapped one day. Until that point, I had obeyed all my father's rules and accepted all his punishments, hoping if I were just good enough he would go back to being the loving person I remembered from when Mama was still alive. Then I realized it would never happen. 

"I started sneaking out at night, curious to see what I'd missed while I'd been locked in that house for seven years. The first night I just wandered, trying to take in everything all at once. I ran into Blade almost immediately. He took me in, sheltered me, reminded me what it was like to have someone who cared. He made me remember what true family and a real home is supposed to be.

"The sneaking out became more and more frequent, as often as I could get away. Before I knew it, almost a year had passed. Blade had even thrown me a fifteenth birthday party, my first party in eight years. But then, not long after that... I guess I just didn't plan carefully enough..."

* * *

_The house felt different that night as she snuck back in the small basement window. Something in her was telling her to turn around and run straight back to Blade's She fought the urge and dropped to the floor, softly shutting the window behind her._

_The uneasy feeling only increased as Lakota slowly made her way up the basement stairs to her room. Something just wasn't right... The dark figure of her father sitting on her bed made her realize what the night had been trying to tell her all along. She wasn't safe anymore._

_The beating went on for what seemed like hours. Every time she was close to unconsciousness her father would pull back, denying her even that small escape. The blows suddenly stopped, and Lakota tensed, knowing something worse had to be coming._

_The sound of her father's returning footsteps was enough warning for Lakota to attempt to scramble away. Her efforts were futile, though, as her father flipped her onto her back, sat on her legs to prevent a struggle, and slashed something over her upper chest. She bit back a gasp, seeing the kitchen knife already stained with her blood before even feeling the burning of the slice across her body._

_"I promised myself, did you know? I promised that if you obeyed me, if you lived up to everything I set for you, I would let you live. If only to honor the memory of your mother. But you screwed all that up, didn't you, my little one?" The rage and manic joy combined in the man's eyes as he brought the knife down again, cutting from the top of her left shoulder across her body to just above her right hip. The pain was more immediate since she now knew what he was doing._

_Lakota eventually lost count of the slashes now decorating her body and simply submitted to the pain. She could feel her own blood all around her, soaking into what remained of her clothes and saturating her long hair. Finally seeming to get tired of the punishment, her father brought the knife down one last time before standing up and walking from the room._

_Only when she heard the front door slam did Lakota look down at her body, only to realize that the last blow hadn't simply been another slice. He had actually stabbed the blade through her left side then left it there. Lakota grabbed the handle but couldn't find the courage to pull it out. _'I'm going to die here, just like this,'_ she thought detachedly to herself._

'No! I don't want to die yet, not when there's still so much I have to do. I can't let him win.'_ One hand on her side to prevent the knife from moving and hurting her further, Lakota dragged herself out to the hall and the phone sitting on the table there. She pulled the receiver down and dialed the number she'd memorized months ago. Just in case._

_"Hello?_

_Lakota sighed with relief as the familiar voice came on the line. If she had to die, at least she wouldn't be completely alone. "Blade, I...I think I might need help, Blade." The room spun, and she fought to hold onto the phone._

_"Lakota?" Panic infused the normally calm tones of Blade's voice. "Lakota, what's happened? Are you at home?" She attempted to make an affirmative noise as she slumped against the wall. "Alright, Lakota, Sweets, if you can hear me, just hang on okay? I'm coming, Kota-girl, so just hang on."_

_Lakota heard the line click off and let the hand holding the phone drop to the floor. For Blade's sake, she would try to hold on for as long as she could. But the darkness seemed so warm and comforting this time, not threatening at all..._

* * *

"I was already unconscious when Blade got there. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital a few days later. It took me months to recover, between the blood loss and the damaged muscles and all that. Blade got custody of me during that time. The police issued a warrant for my father for attempted murder, but he was long gone. 

"And then, when I ran into him during the mission, he was acting like it had never happened, like he'd never tried to kill me at all. He knows where I am now, though, and he won't stop until I'm finally gone. I don't know how I know that, but I do. It's in little things. The last few days, it's like there's someone watching me, constantly, and I can't escape from it. No matter what I do, he's right there, just waiting for me to mess up so he can finish what he started."

As she finally finished her story, Lakota felt the tears well up in her eyes. She pushed them back down impatiently as she waited for responses and reactions from the group. What no one expected was the voice from the stairs behind them. "Aren't you forgetting a part of that story, kid?"


	7. Hidden Beneath

****

Chapter 7- Hidden Beneath

They thought they knew you.

You thought they cared.

What will you find

when you look beyond

what's readily revealed?

You're more than they believe.

They're more than you see.

You can't care for

someone you don't know.

All six pairs of eyes swiveled to the figures on the stairs. At the realization that a second audience had heard her story, Lakota's eyes widened, and she dashed to hide behind Blade. Whimpering slightly, she peeked her head out to study the newcomers. "How much did you hear?"

The red-head smirked. "Does it matter? You were projecting so loud, I could've picked up the whole story from a block away. Which brings me back to why you aren't telling them the whole story..."

Lakota glared, not replying to the comment, as Blade squeezed her hand in an attempt to wordlessly comfort her. Omi, noticing the mounting tension, decided to step in. "Lakota, Blade, this is Schwartz, another team also working for Kritiker. For now, at least. That's Schuldig, Bradley Crawford, Nagi Naoe, and Farfarello." He pointed to each individual as he said their name.

Untangling her hand from Blade's protective grip, Lakota relaxed just slightly but kept her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why are they here? And what does he mean, I was 'projecting'? And why do they all look so... creepy?" Her eyes widened as she slapped her hand over her mouth after the last comment.

Beyond small, amused smiles, most of the other people in the room hardly acknowledged Lakota's slip. Schuldig stepped forward to answer her questions. "The four of us aren't exactly what you'd call normal. We have special talents, I guess you could call them. Mine just happens to be telepathy. Which means I heard everything, even what you didn't say."

"That's the third time you've said something like that," Blade commented before turning to Lakota. "What's he talking about, Kota-girl? I was there when the whole thing happened, and I didn't notice that you left anything out."

Schuldig smirked and took another step closer to the two. "Because she didn't tell even you everything."

Lakota's glare returned, intensified, as she stepped away from Blade. "You don't know what you're talking about. Obviously you're getting me mixed up with someone else, and if you say one more word on the subject, I will ensure that you are unable to procreate." She smiled sweetly and stepped back to Blade's side. The others in the room blinked a few times as if trying to be sure they'd actually heard what they thought she'd said.

The smirk on Schuldig's face faded slightly before he reinforced it, but he dropped the subject all the same. Lakota shot her own smirk back at him before bouncing to the stairs and staring at the three still standing there. "Excuse me," she smiled sweetly as she squeezed past them. All eyes followed her up the stairs and out the door.

-----

As soon as she was out of sight, Lakota ran through the house and out the front door. She couldn't deal with this, not now. And there was no way that orange-haired freak actually knew her secret. Right? Lakota collapsed against the nearest building and attempted to reassure herself that the secret she held so closely to herself, the one she hadn't even told Blade, was still safe and secure.

A choked sob forced itself past her lips as Lakota thought about what the others would think if they knew, how Blade would hate her for keeping it from him all this time. How they all would hate her if they found out. Another sob sounded as Lakota staggered to her feet and kept moving, determined to be as far away as possible before Schuldig ruined the life she was just starting to become comfortable in.

-----

Blade glared heatedly at the newcomers as they all listened to Lakota's footsteps run from the house. Omi made an attempt for the stairs to follow her, but Blade simply grabbed his arm as he walked past. If Lakota had wanted company, she wouldn't have made the effort to hide the fact that she was leaving. He decided he would trust her to keep her head and come back when she'd had time to calm down.

When Omi got that message, Blade turned to Schuldig. "What in the hell is going on here? What, exactly, do you know that we don't?"

Schuldig shook his head. "I won't tell you the whole story, but I will tell you one thing. She's keeping a secret, something fairly huge, because she's afraid to tell you. She's terrified that you'll all hate her if you find out."

"That's ridiculous," Blade snarled. "Lakota knows better than that. She wouldn't think like that, and she certainly wouldn't keep a secret as big as you're implying from me.

"Well, she does and she is, so you'd better learn how to deal with that now, before she's right in front of you while you stand there not knowing what to do. Her secret will come out, one way or another, and you have to be ready when it does." Schuldig glared at Blade, daring him to continue the argument. Blade opened his mouth to retort, but a sudden crash of thunder silenced him.

-----

The sudden downpour soaked Lakota to the bone almost immediately and shocked her into a full realization of her situation. She was alone in the dark with none of her weapons and blocks away from the flower shop, the only place with people who would help her. And she could just make out the sound of footsteps behind her through the rain.

Before she even had time to think about her next step, Lakota was spun around and slammed against the building behind her. Fearing the worst, she looked up at her attacker's faced and stared directly into her father's blazing eyes.

* * *

A.N.- Ooooh, that's not good... /grins/ And what's this secret that Lakota's hiding but Schuldig's trying to reveal? Any ideas? Guess you'll all just have to wait and find out... Though if you leave a review, let me know what you think it is. Just wanna hear what kinds of theories ya'll come up with. /smirks/ Now, to my reviewers:

Creax.-_ Thank you so much for reviewing again and sticking with this story! And I'm sosososo sorry for leaving it hanging for so long/begs and pleads forgiveness/ And I will never, ever give up. Not possible. So even if you don't hear from me for a while, keep checking back, 'cause it'll get there eventually. My muse is currently being held hostage by this story, so it's pretty much all I've got goin' for me now. Plus I can't just leave Kota-chan hanging like that/huggles Kota/ Thanks, again! Hope ya like!_

hmltwin-_ Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like! I think the reason Kota and Blade are so fully fleshed-out as characters is that I had them as characters before I had the story, y'know? Kota just kinda invaded my head one night, this teeny little pixie-like girl with an absolutely horrific past living with this older guy she viewed as a close friend/brother. And then they just kinda insinuated themselves into Weiss... /shrugs/ Anywayz, enough of my ramblings. /grins/ Hope ya liked the newest installment, and keep checking back for more! _

That's all from me for now, so I'll catch ya'll with the next post!


	8. The Mask

****

Chapter 8- The Mask

Don't make it hurt again;

I can't stand the pain.

I thought I was strong,

so over all you did.

Now I know

I was just hiding.

Every time you come back,

it tears a new wound

in my heart and soul,

and I'm right back

to where I started.

Hours passed as the team waited for Lakota to return. As the sun slowly rose and brightened the shop, Blade realized he'd made a mistake. He shouldn't have let her go. At the least, he should have let Omi follow her when he wanted to. And now, nine hours after Lakota had run from the house, Blade knew something had happened to her.

Yohji watched as Blade passed back and forth, attempting to hide his growing panic. None of Weiss had been exactly thrilled when they heard they'd be having to accommodate two new members, but both additions--particularly Lakota, who inspired strong protective feelings in just about everyone--quickly grew on the team. Suddenly, it wasn't two teams working together; it was just one team doing a job.

Aya had seemed to have more reservations than the rest of them, but even he eventually came around to accepting Blade and especially Lakota. The red-head currently stood against the wall, attempting not to look worried.

Even Ken had stopped his what before seemed to be ceaseless movement. He simply sat on the couch quietly next to Yohji, most likely lost deep in thought and caught up in escalating worry. As they all were, really.

Of everyone, though, Omi seemed to be the most noticeably torn-up. He'd formed a quick and nearly unbreakable bond with the younger girl. The two seemed to understand each other in a way no one else could, a way that spoke of too much suffering far too early in life. And yet, of all of the team, the two young agents were the most cheerful, the most hopeful and upbeat. Yohji didn't understand how they managed it. And now that Lakota was missing, Omi hardly knew what to do with himself.

Suddenly, after what seemed like days of waiting and wondering and worrying, the back door squeaked open followed by a light thud. The five young men looked at each other and raced to the kitchen. Omi got there first, followed shortly by Blade, but stopped just before moving through the doorway.

A low, pain-filled moan erased all hesitation, and they all moved into the room. Lakota lay on the kitchen floor, attempting to push herself up on bloodied arms. When her teammates entered the room, she could simply look up at them with eyes full of tears and pain. She managed one short statement before passing out completely. "He found me, Blade."

-----

Lakota's wounds were mostly superficial, bruising and scrapes that looked worse than they actually were. The lone exception, cut down and across her left arm, took two hours and fifteen stitches to stop bleeding. Omi kept a close eye on Blade as the others patched Lakota up, fully expecting the man to break down at any time.

Instead, Blade simply looked grim, resigned to something the rest of them hadn't yet grasped. As Lakota slowly regained consciousness, though, all four saw exactly what had Blade so anxious. When her eyes initially started fluttering, Blade turned to them. "Maybe... maybe you guys should wait outside."

"What?" Omi looked instantly alarmed at the thought of leaving Lakota's side and room. "Why? What's wrong?"

Blade sighed, his face lined with sadness and worry. "Nothing. Yet. But... I don't know; it might be a completely baseless worry, but I'm afraid Lakota won't be the same way you've known her." He paused, started to say more, then reconsidered and just shook his head.

Lakota's eyes didn't open, but the tensing of her body signaled she was definitely awake. When her eyes finally did open, her face was schooled into a carefully indifferent, empty expression. Almost like she wasn't really in her body and all they were left with was a semi-animate shell.

"Lakota?" Omi said softly as he took a careful step toward her. Only then did she react, shooting up to huddle and cower in the farthest corner of her bed. Omi froze, stricken and shaken by her response, before taking a few dejected steps back.

Blade set a hand on his shoulder and motioned everyone out of the room. When all four were in the hall, Blade shut Lakota's door softly and made his way to the living room. The others followed, not quite sure what to make of either Blade or Lakota's actions.

Blade offered no explanation, choosing instead to collapse on the couch. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, Ken broke the silence. "What was that all about, exactly?" When Blade didn't reply, Omi approached him carefully.

"Blade?"

Finally, the older man sighed and faced the team. "I don't know really if I can completely explain. What you just saw was how I knew Lakota from... before." What exactly that before was went unvoiced, but they all knew what he meant. Before Lakota's near-death experience and following escape. "She was broken, at best, but always felt safer alone in her room."

"But... she was better," Ken objected. "I mean, she seemed normal enough by the time you two joined us."

Blade sighed again as a pained expression crossed his face. "I know, and that's probably mostly my fault. After a while, she started coming of her shell. I made myself believe it was because she was healing, but she was really just repressing, hiding from it. And I never had the heart to make her confront it. I should have known she'd regress if put in that situation again."

Omi, after hearing Blade's explanation, turned and started walking back towards Lakota's room. "What are you doing, Omi? Don't you think she needs some time alone right now?" Yohji questioned.

Omi scoffed. "Are you kidding? That's about the last thing she needs. The longer she's alone, the more she'll think she's been abandoned. If she starts thinking that, it'll reinforce her reactions to us, proving her right about us hurting her."

"That doesn't make any sense," Aya interjected.

"It does in her mind." Without waiting for another reply, Omi headed to Lakota's room.

The silence of the bedroom strained and tensed, a suspended moment waiting for an action to set off a chain of events. Lakota poised still in the corner of her bed, ready to take action if necessary. Omi had known she would be.

"Lakota? I just wanted to come and talk, okay?" he asked as he approached her slowly. He prepared himself for a quick retreat if she showed any signs of fear or panic. Instead, she simply kept herself coiled and followed his every movement with exceptionally-alert eyes. Omi had never seen anyone so much like a caged animal.

Grabbing the computer chair from her desk, Omi slowly neared the bed. When he was finally as close as he felt he could get without startling Lakota, he sat down and made himself comfortable. The feral look in Lakota's eyes turned just slightly incredulous.

Omi started to talk, not really about anything but maintaining a stream of small-talk. The more he talked, the more Lakota relaxed and eased out of her corner. Finally, after hours of meaningless chatter, Lakota was perched near the edge of her bed and reaching towards Omi.

He stopped in the middle of whatever inane story he'd been babbling and clasped her out-stretched hand. Smiling softly, he pulled her into a loose hug. "It'll be okay, now, Kota-chan. You'll see," he whispered to her as she clung to him. "We'll take care of you."

(Rather Long) A.N.- First of all thanks so much to my reviewer from Ch. 7: **weiss kittyn**, you rock/grins/ Sorry it's confusing, but they all keep flip-flopping on what they want to do, and I'm having a hard time just keeping up with these crazy people/Omi and Lakota pout/ What! It's true!

So, anywayz, I'm kinda curious about what everyone's thinking about Omi and Lakota's relationship here. They seem to have bonded awfully quickly; could it just be two abused sould recognizing each other? (Hey, don't look at me for answers, I'm just the author. They don't listen to a dang word I say... /grins/)

And for any of you freakin' out, no, this will not be and Omi/Lakota story. /Omi and Lakota both shudder and throw sticks/ I've played with the idea of an Aya/Omi; one of my friends is adamant about a Blade/Omi. /more shudders/ This was originally supposed to be Aya/Lakota (seems weird now, huh?), but the deeper I get into Lakota's psyche, the more I realize she still has a lot of healing and maturing to do before she can get into any real relationship. /shrugs/

Guess I'll just have to keep writing and see where they want me to go. /grins/ And, of course, reviewers are always a good motivation on top of that... /hint,hint/


	9. One Last

A.N.- Wait! What is this? Could it be….? A CHAPTER?!?! laughs Yep, I'm back. Finally! Hopefully this chapter is the revival of my writing, 'cause I've been a total slacker on that front lately.

So, to all readers who didn't give up hope on this fic, THANK YOU for sticking with me.

And to any new readers, welcome!

Hope you all enjoy!!!

**Chapter 9- One Last**

_Something,_

_a new knowledge._

_You know_

_what you have to do._

_Realization_

_of only that one thing_

_holding you back,_

_pulling you down._

_Break down _

_that one final obstacle_

_standing in the way_

_of your freedom._

The two teens sat together on Lakota's bed for a while, Omi murmuring soft comforts and Lakota simply seeking relief from her fear and insecurity. Shortly after, Omi realized they both needed to eat. Lakota, after all, hadn't had anything since before she'd left the house the night before.

Omi started to rise, but Lakota's clinging grip on his arm stopped him. "It's alright, Kota-chan. I'm just going to get some food for us, okay? The others surely have something ready," he attempted to reassure her. She simply shook her head and continued clinging.

Omi sighed with some impatience. "Come on, Lakota, you've got to be hungry." She just stared at him, not releasing her grip. "Would you like to come with me, maybe?" She opened her mouth as if to reply then snapped it shut again with a click and nodded hesitantly.

Smiling reassuringly, Omi shifted to grab her hand and pull her from the bed. Her responding grip was nearly painful as she reached across her body to hold on with both hands. "Just remember that absolutely no one here will hurt you and everything will be fine, okay?" Lakota nodded up at him as Omi led her from the room.

The sound of voices emitting from the kitchen seemed to drag Lakota's feet as they got closer. Omi refused to let her go, though, refused to let her hide any longer. When the two entered the kitchen, Omi gently but insistently tugging Lakota behind him, all sound stopped.

Omi smiled as Lakota drew closer to him, nearly hiding behind him. "We decided we were hungry and hoped you four had some dinner ready." The tension that had built cracked at Omi's easy, relaxed demeanor. As everyone eased back into normal, Lakota also seemed to allow herself to settle into the comfort of the group and parted just slightly from Omi's side.

Not long after, everyone was seated at the table comfortably. Lakota again tucked herself as far into the corner as she could get with Omi not far from her side. Blade sat right next to him, wanting to discuss what exactly he'd done for Lakota in the hours they'd been alone in her room.

"I didn't really do anything special," Omi said quietly once Lakota was distracted by the other three at the table. "I just sat and talked to her about nothing in particular. That way, she could eventually realize I wouldn't hurt her, but it also made her see that I wasn't going to leave her either. You just have to re-build the trust again, on a stronger foundation this time."

Blade dropped his gaze, ashamed he'd let the situation get so far away from him. Omi smiled in understanding. "I'm not criticizing you, Blade. You were young when you took Lakota in and had never raised a child before, especially one as... damaged as Lakota was. You did the best you could with what you had."

"I have so many regrets, so much more I wish I would have done for her. But I guess looking back and wishing won't do us any good now." Blade sighed and looked over at Lakota, watching as she timidly picked at her food while attempting to ignore everyone's attention focused on her. She'd yet to make a sound.

Ken sat on Lakota's other side, being probably the least imposing presence in the room after Omi. He, as Omi had before, talked at Lakota about anything and nothing to keep her distracted from any threat she might imagine if left alone to her thoughts. Yohji turned to Aya. "Isn't there something sad about the fact that our two youngest know best how to take care of an abused child?"

Aya muttered a soft agreement and watched as Omi finished his conversation with Blade to turn back to Lakota. The whole scene, in Aya's mind, further evidenced the absolute dysfunction their team was made from. The facade of normality gave way to a picture of children with seriously disjointed psyches as the only ones able to take care of each other. Sad was an understatement.

-----

Lakota sat in her room a few days later, taking a break from the constant scrutiny. She'd finally gotten used to the group again, remembered who they were and where she was, but she needed a quick escape from Omi and Ken's mother-henning. Blade was also hovering around, though he also seemed to pull back, full of fear and regret.

And yet, despite re-integrating herself with the group, Lakota could not force a sound from herself. She'd tried, more forcefully then she'd ever tried anything before. It hadn't worked. At that point, Lakota assumed her voice was gone, possibly permanently.

The longer she sat there, the more Lakota thought about why she couldn't --wouldn't--speak. She knew that as soon as she did, Omi would without a doubt sit her down and make her confront all the fears and worries she'd kept hidden for so long. And so, just like those fears, she repressed her ability to voice them.

Knowing the reason, however, wasn't exactly getting her any closer to results. A sudden knock on her bedroom door interrupted Lakota's musings. She jumped up from her seat as Omi peeked into the room. "Hey, Kota-chan. Just letting you know dinner's ready."

Smiling up at him, Lakota motioned for him to lead the way. Activity swarmed the kitchen as the other four attempted to get dinner on the table and all places properly set. Lakota grinned at the homely hustle and bustle taking place before her. Blade looked up, caught her eye, and smiled in return.

No one paid attention to the approaching sounds of rolling thunder and pounding rain. No one bothered to notice the flicker of lightning through the windows. They settled into the routine that had become so familiar and easy in the previous months.

And as they ate, Lakota contemplated the decision she had come to while in her room just before the dinner rush. She had to reveal that final secret, had to push past the barriers holding in both her secrets and her ability to speak. She was done being silent.

Something must have shone in her face. Some determination must have bled into her eyes. Without noticing that she had somehow captured the attention of the others, she finished the last of her food then headed into the living room area. She paced the floor, nearly heedless of the others in the room.

Omi was the first to break the uncertain quiet. "Lakota? What's going on?" And that something came up again, tightening into lines around her eyes and creasing her forehead. The rain chose that moment to pound the windows as thunder crashed around them. "Does this have something to do with what happened to you?"

Lakota attempted to force the words she so desperately needed to say. If she could only tell them what she was so afraid for them to know, she knew she could break the hold on her voice. The longer her silence rolled on, however, the louder the thunder rolled through the night. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, lightning flashed closer than ever, and the lights stuttered out.

Lakota found her voice in the dark. "He raped me!" Silence dropped as heavily as the darkness. Another flash of lightning illuminated the shocked, angry, saddened expressions evident on every face. Drawing in a shuddering breath, Lakota let both the physical and mental shocks of speech after so much silence wash over her. "It's what I couldn't tell you, what I never told anyone. I'm sorry."

Warm arms surrounded her, and Lakota cuddled into Omi's familiar embrace as her tears finally flowed. "I'm so sorry," she cried quietly. "I'm sorry I never told you. And I'm sorry I couldn't... couldn't do anything." Omi rocked her back and forth, attempting to calm the girl who was slowly working herself into hysterics.

Lakota sobbed as she clung to Omi, releasing all the pent up frustration and anger and sadness holding onto her secret had caused. Omi held her tightly while at the same time leading them towards the couch. Once they were seated, Lakota curled as far as she could into Omi's warmth as if hoping to block out the confrontation she knew was coming.

Blade sank into the nearest chair, apparently having difficulty figuring which question he wanted answered first. Drawing a deep breath, he quietly voiced the most pressing question. "When? I mean, was this the first time? Or..."

A choked sob escaped Lakota's mouth as she shook her head. "The first time... I was... It was the reason I started sneaking out in the first place. Everything else I could deal with. I could make myself believe I didn't know it was wrong. But that? I couldn't-- I couldn't ignore that, Blade, couldn't rationalize it into being okay." She looked towards him, silent tears streaking her cheeks. "I just wanted everything to be okay again."

He stared at her for a few long moments. The tension practically hummed through his body as he attempted to accept that she'd been carrying this with her for so long now. Unable to process what he'd heard, Blade broke their stare as he stood and walked from the room.


End file.
